My journey to fitness

At five feet, four inches, and 386 pounds, it was not the picture of health or fitness. I had had four children in eleven years and had gained a lot of weight with each one, but that was not my only problem. I also ate too much and exercised too little. Plain and simple. I knew my life was in danger if I didn't control my weight and get fitter. Below you will find the plan that used to lose 140 pounds over a period of two years.

The mentality

After having the habit of eating and living for more than ten years. It takes a new mindset before you can commit to making the necessary changes. I decided what I had to do, and over the next week I mentally prepared myself for what I was about to undertake. I studied nutrition. I planned a new way of eating, I prepared my kitchen throwing away the old and bringing the new. When I finished my planning, I was excited about what to expect.

Essential exercises

After doing some research on fitness and exercise, I agreed that walking is a good start for people as heavy as I am. At first, I was able to trudge down the street in my neighborhood, but after a week, I was able to walk all the way around the block. This was a great achievement for me!

Eat to live

I had to get to a place in my life where I could eat to live and not live to eat. Yes, it is a cliché that we have all heard many times, but it is the truth. I had been living each day, planning what I would eat next. Choosing which sweets to save for the end of the day and eating fast food whenever I wanted. Now I would do my best to eat to stay alive. Of course, I would eat the food that I enjoyed, but only what my body needs, and nothing more.

My personal eating plan

We can all agree that diets don't work. Most of us have fallen into fad diet schemes, skipping entire food groups like carbohydrates and fats. I wanted a balanced diet that would make me healthier, while also providing my body with proper nutrition. After doing some research, I decided on a Mediterranean diet that I could stick to. My version included a lot of vegetables and salads. I roasted all the vegetables that I could find. I ate a moderate amount of fruit, small amounts of lean protein, and fish. And later I replaced a lot of my protein with beans, lentils, and other legumes. For snacks, I ate small amounts of nuts, seeds, and nonfat Greek yogurt with berries. I started losing weight right away.

Expanding the exercise routine

After about two months, I had lost about thirty pounds. Then I was able to start working out at a local gym, using the cardio machines, and lifting some weights. I was starting to assert myself in places that I couldn't believe.

My continuous journey

I am not done with my journey. I still need to lose another hundred pounds or so. It may seem overwhelming to others, but to me, it's living life in a new way, feeling better, and losing weight as a result. I know that will happen!